My Model 1917 and I are still having trouble getting along, as I mentioned in several other posts. At Perry I ended up with some saved rounds in rapid prone due to ejection problems which did not make me happy.
While cleaning it i discovered that the chamber looks a little rough, probably a bit of rust. After unsuccessfully trying to clean it up with a chamber bush I ordered a 800 grain 30-06 “flex-hone” and the corresponding oil from midway.
I stripped the stock off and clamped the barrel between two wooden blocks in my big vice oiled the flex-hone lightly per instructions and ran it in and out for a very short time… Less than a minute.
I won’t know how effective it was for a few weeks, the chamber is nice and shiny now and it still passes headspace so I have managed to break anything.
If you decide to try this be careful not to over polish and take the stock off so you don’t break it in the vice. I’m sure there are better ways to clamp it down, but I just used a couple boards and my big vice tightening it just enough to hold it firm at a “straight” part of the barrel.
UPDATE: this worked!!! While my initial “less than a minute” wasn’t enough I honed it again for longer maybe 3 minutes in and out. After I was done the shoulders were “white” so there was probably a lot of build up from years of shooting blanks.
HXP ejected like butter some of my reloads still needed some extra force but that could be related to me poorly sizing the brass. I may touch it up just a bit more but I am excited that I finally found a solution!
As mentioned in the last post my Model 1917 and I haven’t been getting along very well. To try and repair our relationship, I got up early and went out to the range with the 1917, a big box of HXP, and some SR-1s to do a little couples counseling.
80 rounds later I think we have a better understanding. I stuck to prone and did several timed rapid strings which have been a problem for me.
It looks like a big part of my problem was simply having the elevation set too low. A couple clicks up to the 300 yard mark did the trick. I do seem to have a windage issue as you can see many of the shots are trending to the left. For now I am going to hold off with just a bit of black to the left of the front sight.
I also feel better about working the bolt. I have been having trouble with the rear sight folding back and coming dangerously close to having the battle sight crushed by the bolt. I’m trying to get in the habit of watching my “workspace” and the rear sight while I work the bolt. Its hard to “feel”
When this is about to happen due to the force needed to close the cock on closing action .
Sore shoulder aside It was a good day at the range hopefully it will translate to better performance in the next match.
In my last post I mentioned problems with extraction of reloads. I am happy to report I found the issue and it was not trimming.
Yep that’s a gap between the resizing die and the shell holder at full extension. At some point I must have set this incorrectly and was setting the shoulders of the case too high. I’ve properly cranked it down so the shell holder makes contact with the die and problem solved.
The wife and I took a quick trip to the range with the Model 1917 and her AR.
I’ve been having trouble with the reloads not easily ejecting from my 1917. My working theory is that the problem is in the trim length. I trimmed this batch down .005 to 2.480 which helped but it’s not quite ready for rapid prone. I’m going to take them down to 2.475 and see how that works. [update: trimming was not the issue see the next post here]
I took a few offhand shots to practice my stance. I kept them all in the 9-7 rings which was pretty good for me.
I would like to get a better skeletal stance particularly in regards to my support arm. I tried a more “hip forward” stance but my big fat love handles get in my way.
U.S. Model ofâŻ1917 Rifle â WWI Production, Variants, & Comparisons
My US Model of 1917 Rifle â History, Variants, and Comparisons
Introduction â CMP Field Grade Find
I was lucky enough to get in on the last batch of bolt guns from the
Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) in early October 2011. After much heartache, my rifle showed up a couple of months later.
I didnât make the 200âsome service grades and was âdowngradedâ to a field grade. Those couple of days between the card charge and delivery were stressfulâbut well worth it.
I received a greatâlooking Eddystone with a July 1918 receiver, a Remington November 1918 barrel, and a WWI Eddystone stock.
Eddystone ModelâŻ1917 boltâaction rifle with July 1918 receiver
Per the tag, the muzzle erosion was 0+, and the classic âbullet testâ confirmed this.
Muzzle erosion gauge reading on Model 1917 rifle barrel
History of the Model of 1917
The Model of 1917 (its proper name, by the way) has an interesting history. Originally, the British were developing the âPattern 14â (P14) rifle to replace the SMLE. Lacking production capacity, they contracted Winchester, Remington, and Eddystone (Remingtonâs massive Delaware plant).
When the U.S. entered WWI in 1917, Springfield Armory couldnât produce enough M1903 rifles to arm the rapidly growing Army. The P14 design was adapted to fire the .30â06 Springfield cartridge, creating the Model of 1917.
Production Numbers
By the end of WWI, over 2.2 million M1917 rifles had been producedâroughly 75% of all rifles issued to U.S. troops in the war. They outnumbered the M1903 Springfield nearly 3 to 1.
Manufacturers and Markings
Eddystone â Largest output (~1.35 million). Marked with an âEâ on parts.
Remington â Produced about 545,000. Marked âR.â
Winchester â Smallest production (~465,000) and most sought after by collectors. Marked âW.â
Receivers are marked above the serial number with the manufacturerâs name, and barrels are typically stamped with maker initials and month/year of production.
Design Features
Action: Modified Mauser 98 with a strong, enclosed receiver.
Sights: Rear aperture sight on the receiver bridge for a longer sight radius than the M1903âs barrelâmounted ladder sight.
Magazine: 6âround internal magazineâone more than the M1903.
Weight: About 9 lbs 3 oz, heavier than the M1903, which helped reduce recoil but made it more burdensome in the field.
Model of 1917 vs Springfield 1903
Advantages of the M1917:
Longer sight radius
Stronger action
Greater production numbers
Higher magazine capacity
Drawbacks of the M1917:
No windage adjustment on the rear sight
Heavier
Slightly more awkward bolt throw for rapid fire
Service After WWI
The M1917 continued in service quietly after the Armistice, appearing in WWII with U.S. rearâechelon troops and being supplied to allies such as Britain and China. Many were rebuilt with WWIIâdated barrels and parkerized finishes.
Collector Notes
For collectors, condition, originality, and manufacturer are key factors in value. Winchesters typically command the highest prices, followed by Remingtons and then Eddystones. Watch for mismatched parts, import marks, and signs of reâarsenal work.
Further Reading
For a deep dive, see C.S. Ferris, âUnited States Rifle, Model of 1917ââan excellent resource on production variations and markings.
Tags: Model of 1917, M1917 rifle, WWI American rifle, Eddystone Remington Winchester, CMP field grade
I was lucky enough to get in on the last batch of bolt guns from the CMP in early October 2011. After much heartache she showed up a couple of months later.
I didn’t make the 200 some service grade and got “downgraded” to a field grade. Those couple of days between the card charge and delivery were very stressful. However it was well worth it.
I received a great looking Eddystone with a July 1918 receiver and a Remington November 1918 barrel and a WWI Eddystone stock.
Per the tag the muzzle erosion was 0+ the “bullet test” confirmed this.
The Model of 1917 (it’s proper name BTW) has a neat story behind it. The British were tooling up to replace the SMLE with the “Pattern 14” or P14 (which is where the erroneous “P17” nickname came from).
The brits didn’t have the production capability to build these at the rate needed to beat back the Hun so they contracted out to Winchester, Remington and Eddystone.
When 1917 rolled around and the US started to ramp up for war production Springfield couldn’t produce 1903s fast enough and the Brit’s production of SMLEs had caught up. So the P14 was converted to 30-06 and the Model of 1917 was born. The Model of 1917 went on to out number the 1903 by 3 to 1 by the end of the war.
In my option the biggest advantage the 1917 has over the 1903 is the rear sight. As opposed to the 1903 ladder sight mounted in front of the action. And the 1917 has a peep sight behind the action. Of course the 1903 has windage and the 1917 doesn’t.
My 1917’s rear sight.
If you have the chance to pick up a Model of 1917 do it. They are great shooters with a fascinating history.
If you’re looking for more information on this rifle C. S. Farris’ book is a great resource on this rifle.
